Census season kicks off in March

The U.S. Constitution mandates that an official count of the U.S. population be conducted for Congress every 10 years. That tally plays a huge role in determining the distribution of hundreds of billions of dollars in federal and state funds annually.

This year’s decennial headcount kicks off in earnest beginning March 2019.

Some 95% of U.S. households will receive an invitation by mail to respond to the Census in the coming days.

However, there are three ways to respond:

Online

By mail

Over the phone

The key takeaway for now is this: When a mailer shows up asking you to reply to this headcount, pay attention to it.

If you don’t, you’re sure to get a lot of follow-up mailers and possibly even an in-person visit down the road!

Here’s what the timeline of Census communication looks in March and April: